Episode 149 - Grow in Season: Changing the Narrative to See the Blessings
Educators Among Us
Winter. It sometimes seems that it will never end. When everything feels cold and gray, it’s easy to assume nothing is growing. But what if the season that feels the hardest is actually the one building the strongest roots? In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, reflects on seasons, both literal and personal, and especially about Winter and how we must grow through them. Even the most committed educators find themselves walking through the hardest and longest “winters”. But it’s part of the journey, and there...
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Episode 148 - Findin’ More: Faith Reveals What Can’t Be Seen
Educators Among Us
We’re often told that seeing is believing. But faith asks us to reverse that equation. Faith calls us to believe first, so that we can truly see. Some of the most important truths in life aren’t revealed to the eyes at all, but to the heart, formed by belief and shaped by trust. And when you “see it” with your camera eye, you’ve got to get the shot! In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, talks about how true vision is cultivated through faith, discipline, and intentional observation. There is a difference...
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Episode 147 - Hold Fast: Tuning Our Souls to be Attentive
Educators Among Us
As the pace quickens and responsibilities pile up, it’s easy to confuse urgency with importance. When everything feels demanding and immediate, perspective can slip, anxiety can rise, and clarity can fade. In those moments, fasting may be the most disciplined and necessary response. There is strength not just in moving fast, but in knowing when to fast — to stop, reflect, and stay grounded in purpose. In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, explores the layered meanings of the word fast, and fasting, and why educators must...
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Episode 146 - Crafted with Pride: Doing Our Best to Do Our Best
Educators Among Us
Great work can be overlooked. But it’s never taken for granted. When someone slows down, pays attention, and looks closely, true craftsmanship always reveals itself. The same is true in education. Excellence shows up in the details, the discipline, and the pride taken in doing the work well. People notice, and your best effort matters. In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, challenges educators to rethink how they view value, mastery, and their role in the work of shaping lives. He encourages educators to always do...
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Episode 145 - Course Correction: Listening and Adjusting to the Warning Signs
Educators Among Us
We are often surprised by change. Perhaps we weren’t paying attention, or heeding the signs. Sometimes we handle change, and sometimes it’s too late. Real life rarely follows the map, or the strategic plan, or the schedule. The danger isn’t the change itself. The danger is in refusing to slow down long enough to recognize that the road ahead has shifted. In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, reflects on the reality that education, both in educators and in leadership, demands constant...
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Episode 144 - Mastery of Me: The Decisions that Create the Future
Educators Among Us
Most of us want to grow. We want to get better at what we do, lead well, and make a difference. But growth doesn’t just show up on its own. It shows up when we’re willing to slow down, be honest with ourselves, and take responsibility for the things we can actually control. At the end of the day, real progress starts with one simple question: Am I willing to work on me? In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, highlights self-mastery and why the most effective educators don’t wait for someone else to push their growth...
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Episode 143 - School Bus Blues: Fix the Experience Gaps
Educators Among Us
Every organization, especially schools, has places where problems quietly live. Not because they’re invisible, but because addressing them feels uncomfortable, disruptive, or inconvenient. Like bad behavior on the school bus, right? Over time, those known gaps become normalized, and “less than” acceptable behavior is tolerated simply because it’s familiar. Just because it’s always been that way doesn’t mean it always has to be. In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, challenges school leaders and educators...
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Episode 142 - Building Today’s One Room School House: A Conversation with Courtney Williams
Educators Among Us
Teaching is hard work, but it’s also deeply human work. Most educators are simply looking for practical support, thoughtful feedback, and tools that help them get a little better at what they do each day. That’s where coaching and professional learning can make a real difference when it’s done well. That’s what we’re talking about on this episode of the Educators Among Us Podcast. This is a special episode, as Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, is joined by Courtney Williams, CEO of TORSH, to talk about his path into education leadership and the work...
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Episode 141 -’Tis the Season
Educators Among Us
There is a season for everything. Christmas time can be frenzied, hurried and chaotic. But it can, and should, be a season of Reflection, Rest and Renewal. Especially at the end of a year, and at halftime of the school year, we need this season to prepare for what’s next, to pause, to breathe, and to take an honest look at where we’ve been and where we’re headed. In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, is joined by his wife Tammy Barron, President at School Growth. They discuss why it...
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Episode 140 - Coulda Shoulda Woulda: Finishers Finish First
Educators Among Us
What are we working on? And what have we left behind? Plans that stalled, perhaps? Commitments that faded? Goals that started strong and slowly slipped into the background? When we look back, do we see those “Coulda Woulda Shoulda” moments? Credibility requires us to finish what we started, even if it’s not convenient. In this episode of Educators Among Us, host Scott Barron, Chief Reinvention Officer with School Growth, talks about the difference between those who struggle and those who make meaningful progress due to the habit of finishing. Scott explores how...
info_outlineSome people seem to carry joy like a light inside them, through conflict, through stress, even through burnout. Where does that kind of joy come from, and how do we hold on to it when life pulls at every thread? The truth is, educators are often among the most joy-filled and the most joy-drained people we know, all in the same week. But there’s a way to stay anchored.
In this episode of Educators Among Us, Scott Barron, Chef Reinvention Officer with School Growth invites us into a conversation about sustaining joy as an educator and as a person. Scott explores the emotional, spiritual, and practical roots of joy that keep us strong, connected, and resilient. From gratitude to harmony, habits to happy memories, we are reminded that joy isn’t found in things. It’s something we cultivate inside.
Throughout the episode, Scott reflects on joy not just as an emotion, but as a rhythm of life…one that shows up in our faces, in our responses, in our decisions, and in our resilience. Whether it’s a smile in a tough moment, a quiet anchor in the chaos, or a memory that reignites purpose, joy makes a real, tangible difference in the life of an educator and everyone they influence.
Let this be your reminder not to lose your happy thought this week. That joy might be what keeps someone else going.
Takeaways:
-Joy is a steady internal anchor, not a fleeting external thing.
-Educators who sustain joy tend to navigate conflict and stress more effectively.
-Happy thoughts can be powerful tools for resilience.
-Joy often stems from rhythm, harmony, and shared purpose.
-Expressing joy through smiles and gratitude lifts others too.
-Intentional habits of character help maintain joy even in difficulty.
-Sustained joy improves health, intelligence, and emotional strength.
-Joy protects against burnout and rekindles calling.
-Anchoring in truth, love, and purpose keeps joy alive.
Chapters
00:41 Introduction
01:33 Finding Joy
02:46 Happy Monday! Is it?
04:55 Joy Stealers
06:29 Evidence and Habits of Joy
09:56 The Benefits of Joy
13:19 Coaching Question
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Educators Fellowship is a non-profit organization that encourages educators in their calling and in their faith.
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